Comments on: Cardiff homeless - tactical lessons? http://nearlylegal.co.uk/blog/2008/05/cardiff-homeless-tactical-lessons/ The Joy of Housing Law Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:00:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Housinganger http://nearlylegal.co.uk/blog/2008/05/cardiff-homeless-tactical-lessons/#comment-6208 Housinganger Tue, 06 May 2008 22:23:57 +0000 http://nearlylegal.co.uk/blog/?p=463#comment-6208 I think it's tactically deliberate ignorance if that makes sense! The LA should have also trained their staff not only in Homeless Prevention but also in how to take Homeless Approaches, how to carry out fair enquiries and come to a fair and reasoned decision. Having worked in LA's Housing Department I know at least one LA who deliberately didn't do what they knew they should hence the reason for me leaving. I think it’s tactically deliberate ignorance if that makes sense! The LA should have also trained their staff not only in Homeless Prevention but also in how to take Homeless Approaches, how to carry out fair enquiries and come to a fair and reasoned decision.

Having worked in LA’s Housing Department I know at least one LA who deliberately didn’t do what they knew they should hence the reason for me leaving.

]]> By: Housinganger http://nearlylegal.co.uk/blog/2008/05/cardiff-homeless-tactical-lessons/#comment-6207 Housinganger Tue, 06 May 2008 22:07:11 +0000 http://nearlylegal.co.uk/blog/?p=463#comment-6207 Cheers Nearly and thanks for a much better write up than my slack attempt. Why should Local Authorities care or indeed accept nicely nicely Homeless approaches when they can completely ignore it, provide 'Housing Options' and hopefully bag another Homeless prevention statistic and be rewarded financially for doing so! I'm very interested in your follow up about issues of independence. I finally found the email address of the CAB's chief executive and will be writting to him about this point as soon as I can. Independent is just that. It's not Independent except in certain circumstances. I've had enough of manager induced 'don't be that mean to the LA'. Time to do something about it as to be honest if you were homeless would you want the CAB not to do everything they could to help you just because they wanted to be nice to the LA. But then what happens if I do what I should do and the LA decides to make the CAB's life as difficult as possible by cutting funding etc etc. I have been put into an impossible position, I wonder how many other CAB CLS workers have also been. Cheers Nearly and thanks for a much better write up than my slack attempt.

Why should Local Authorities care or indeed accept nicely nicely Homeless approaches when they can completely ignore it, provide ‘Housing Options’ and hopefully bag another Homeless prevention statistic and be rewarded financially for doing so!

I’m very interested in your follow up about issues of independence. I finally found the email address of the CAB’s chief executive and will be writting to him about this point as soon as I can.

Independent is just that. It’s not Independent except in certain circumstances.

I’ve had enough of manager induced ‘don’t be that mean to the LA’. Time to do something about it as to be honest if you were homeless would you want the CAB not to do everything they could to help you just because they wanted to be nice to the LA. But then what happens if I do what I should do and the LA decides to make the CAB’s life as difficult as possible by cutting funding etc etc.

I have been put into an impossible position, I wonder how many other CAB CLS workers have also been.

]]> By: J http://nearlylegal.co.uk/blog/2008/05/cardiff-homeless-tactical-lessons/#comment-6206 J Tue, 06 May 2008 22:03:16 +0000 http://nearlylegal.co.uk/blog/?p=463#comment-6206 Yes - poorly chosen words. Sorry. No-one to blame but myself. Yes - poorly chosen words. Sorry. No-one to blame but myself.

]]> By: Nearly Legal http://nearlylegal.co.uk/blog/2008/05/cardiff-homeless-tactical-lessons/#comment-6205 Nearly Legal Tue, 06 May 2008 21:56:47 +0000 http://nearlylegal.co.uk/blog/?p=463#comment-6205 Cardiff isn't a main metropolitan authority? (But I know what you mean). I think a combination of ignorance and policy is more likely. The frontline officers were clearly badly trained, if at all, but behind this were policy decisions (and workshops on learning lessons on reducing applications from english LAs!). Cardiff isn’t a main metropolitan authority? (But I know what you mean). I think a combination of ignorance and policy is more likely. The frontline officers were clearly badly trained, if at all, but behind this were policy decisions (and workshops on learning lessons on reducing applications from english LAs!).

]]> By: J http://nearlylegal.co.uk/blog/2008/05/cardiff-homeless-tactical-lessons/#comment-6203 J Tue, 06 May 2008 21:46:36 +0000 http://nearlylegal.co.uk/blog/?p=463#comment-6203 It sounds like a case of ignorance rather than a conscious decision to act unlawfully. It is, however, probably quite a good example of the level of decision making in this area outside of the main metropolitan authorities. JR is entirely appropriate in this sort of case. You don’t mess around with statutory duties! It sounds like a case of ignorance rather than a conscious decision to act unlawfully. It is, however, probably quite a good example of the level of decision making in this area outside of the main metropolitan authorities. JR is entirely appropriate in this sort of case. You don’t mess around with statutory duties!

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